Hay Rake

[R Bruce]

suggestions on used hayrakes, I am currently using a well wornJD 640, looking to up grade. Small operation of grass hay (30acres), Looking at 256 NH, with or without dollies, possible Miller Pro. I'm not sure about the wheel rakes, plenty around that are cheap.

My budget is about 2500.00

thanks in advance.

 

[Traditional Farmer]

I used a JD 640 for years then bought a NH 256.You couldn't give me a JD rake now if I had to use it.In my area a good NH 256 will go for 1000 to 1500 at auctions most times

 

[R Bruce]

(quoted from post at 22:41:38 05/07/23) I used a JD 640 for years then bought a NH 256.You couldn't give me a JD rake now if I had to use it.In my area a good NH 256 will go for 1000 to 1500 at auctions most times

thank you sir!

 

[Muir hill 101]

The worst part about the new holland is new Holland but you can get plenty of aftermarket parts I got bearings and a new drive shaft for my 56 from John Deere cheaper than new Holland . Raked 400 acres 3 times a year with double John Deere 640 never had a problem will rake anything the new Holland will of course this was heavy alfalfa and grass hay under pivots maybe organic goat weed it wouldnt I dont know ?

 

[tomstractorsandtoys]

I took a 640 and added the fifth tooth bar and replaced every bearing in the rake and installed all new Deere rubber teeth. Should be the same as a new rake now and less than your budget and work great for your small acerage. Tom

 

[Traditional Farmer]

SV where you live I don't you have ever seen a field of heavy hay

 

[paul]

The cheap wheel takes dont handle heavy hay very well, and dont make corners well. The expensive ones do better. Its better if the axle and frame supporting the wheels is behind instead of in front where the hay is trying to flow..... I have a cheap 5 wheel 3p rake and Im glad I have it dfor some jobs but I couldnt make hay if it was my only rake....

NH 56-256 are good rakes. Give you years of good service. Handle heavy hay.

Paul

 

[Muir hill 101]

Only about 5 ton to the acre not like some fields . Im not knocking the new holland because it really will turn Just about anything . Only one that I didnt like was the ihc my grandpa had but I know where one is I want to try it . I dont have a dealer local that I would pee on if he was on fire except agco and hes 80 miles away

 

[DeltaRed]

I bought a used Kuhn rotary rake last year for under a thousand. That thing will easily out rake a conventional side delivery. Doesnt bunch or 'rope'. Leaves a nice fluffy windrow. 3 point mounted.the only downside is it is narrow,only one rotor.As said the wheel rakes dont handle heavy wet hay well. They tend to leave some .Especially on wetter chunks that are stuck to the ground.I have two IH side deliverys(#15;#35). They do the 'poorest' job of all,but still acceptable. Biggest issues is you must go slower and higher maintenance.

 

[Leroy]

When I was farming I never wanted a fluffy windrow, always a nice tight row. That is why I did not loke a parallel bar rake. Only wanted the 45* angle bar as it made that nice tight row., think what some called roping. Years ago neighbor had a wheel rake and he lost the short hay crop because the rake would not pick up his hay. First I heard of a wheel rake was just a single or 2 wheels together that mounted on front of tractor to just flip a row over, no raking.

 

[Destroked 450]

Been using a NH 256 with dolly wheels for many years, it will rake hay my vee rake will miss and won t ball up in heavy hay
The dolly wheels allows one to make extremely sharp turns without the rear tractor tires getting into the rake frame, also makes hooking up a simple task. Down side to dolly wheels is backing up the rake with a tractor, other than backing just a few ft I unhook it and push it back by hand if possible
If you bale a lot of thinner hay look at the wider 258 model, it comes with greaseable bar bearings

This post was edited by Destroked 450 on 05/12/2023 at 04:32 pm.

 

[DeltaRed]

I have one of those. Mounted on the front of a Farmall H. Does great work just flipping wet windrows.On smooth ground,drive in 4th gear wide open.Most folks around here have never seen one. They just stare in amazement.

 

[paul]

I have never used one with dolly wheels, so I probably shouldnt comment....

In my wet humid environment we hate driving over the hay and pushing it into the damp ground. Have to with the tractor, but I just dont think I would like that extra set
of wheels in front of the rake.

I got a hitch on my three point, with a pickup type of 2 inch receiver. So the hitch sticks out pretty far past the rear wheels. I dont have to use the cranks to adjust the
rake height and can deal with crossing windrows and uneven ground, just raise and lower the three point for adjustment. Plus can make the very sharp corners as you
mention. If you dont have dolly wheels (very very few of those around here local) I would recommend looking into a 3pt hitch type of setup.

Paul

 

[showcrop]

(quoted from post at 19:47:25 05/08/23) I have never used one with dolly wheels, so I probably shouldnt comment....

In my wet humid environment we hate driving over the hay and pushing it into the damp ground. Have to with the tractor, but I just dont think I would like that extra set
of wheels in front of the rake.

I got a hitch on my three point, with a pickup type of 2 inch receiver. So the hitch sticks out pretty far past the rear wheels. I dont have to use the cranks to adjust the
rake height and can deal with crossing windrows and uneven ground, just raise and lower the three point for adjustment. Plus can make the very sharp corners as you
mention. If you dont have dolly wheels (very very few of those around here local) I would recommend looking into a 3pt hitch type of setup.

Paul

Do you use a tedder?

 

[dhermesc]

With only 30 acres most any rake would be fine. What is wrong with the 640? To be honest its about as good or as good as a 256.

If your field is full of dips you will want one with the dolly wheel. That puts the rake on a short wheelbase and it can follow the contours of the land batter. Without a dolly wheel your wheelbase is from the back of the rake to the tires on the tractor. When you go through a dip when the tractor starts up the other side the rake is lifted leaving hay behind. I have a terrible field that was horribly rutted from broken terraces. I fixed the terraces and filled the ditches in to keep from breaking axles but the field is still very uneven. Every dip where the ruts were have hay left in them.

 

[DanielW]

I'd probably agree with dhermesc about bar rakes. The 256 is a good rake - probably about as good as rolabar rakes come, but (for me at least) I don't think it's different enough to warrant replacing the 640 unless the NH is fairly cheap and the Deere is really beaten up. Unless you're covering a lot of ground, in which case a second, wider rake with the Deere as a backup might be a good thing.

If looking for a rolabar rake, another model to keep in mind is the Massey 36 and 37. A lot of them were sold with 6 bars (unlike the 4 of the 640 or 5 of most NH's) and would rake a windrow out of nothing. You could go over a field raked with a 4 bar rake with one of those 6 bar Masseys and make a windrow from what the other rakes left behind. The Masseys were also extremely robust. The 36 was a little better than the 37 for robustness, but the 37 with it's staggered axle followed uneven ground a little better.

But for the money you're talking about, I'd hold off and waiting for a good used rotary rake to come along. Rotaries are to raking what disc mowers are to cutting; once you've used one very, very few people would ever consider going back. Only problem with a rotary is some aren't quite as robust as the old rolabar rakes. Stay clear of Deutz rotaries, and make sure you check it out for wear/gearbox arm backlash.

 

[Muir hill 101]

Thats thee old way of thinking. Thee old rake brochures even bragged about being able to rope the hay together so it would feed better into The baler . The new holland 56 will make a tight windrow which I like so it doesnt blow away or fluffy if you adjust the height of the basket

 

[hd6gtom]

I used a 640 for years, went to a NH. New Holland did a far better job in light hay. If I had my choice of the 2, New Holland would be my choice.

 

[495man]

Have a 256, several decades now. Only work done to it is replacing tines, cross kits and wheel pawls. All cheap work and parts readily available.

Not a popular rake around here now unless you run old stuff and farm small.

 

[R Bruce]

Thanks for the advice, I am considering a rotary rake.